AIM pluggin: DeadAIM

[nfotxn]

Hey, anyone running AIM on Windows ought to checkout Deadaim. It's a AIM hack but it seems to be just as stable in the last few days I've used it. You can have all your conversations in one tabbed window as to prevent your taskbar in WinXP for doing a waltz every time somebody sends you a message. It also has online/offline alerts like MSN Messenger which is useful. Oh and a log manager too!

Anyhow, for free software it's awfully useful. Oh, most importantly those gaudy AOL ads are taken out praise-the-lord.

Comments

[visualeffect.livejournal.com]

have you tried Trillian (http://www.trillian.cc/trillian/index.html)?

It's a skinnable windows client that brings IRC/AIM/YAHOO/ICQ and MSN instant messengers together. I've been using it for almost a year now...works like a charm. Oh, and no adds. :)

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Let me point something out: I HATE SKINS!

No really, they're so wrong from a usability standpoint I can't even find a place to begin. Sure they look funky but I stopped caring about that a long time ago perosnally. I could get a WinXP skin but really why do I want to have a big skinning apparatus running just so I can make it look like a normal application?

Also other than manditory security updates I haven't seen Cerulean Studios actively developing Trillian or Trillian Pro beyond what it is already. They had some good ideas like containers but the UI is just gross! The memory usage is also pretty lame because of skinning.

I used Trillian back before pro when it was still very much beta software and used the final pro version. It's nice software but the usability weirdness and lack of good support the various IM protocols higher level features left me wanting.

Sorry for the vitriol, not a trillian fan. Nothing personal handsome ;)

Re:

[visualeffect.livejournal.com]

Well, that shut me up now didn't it? :)

The "handsome" remark made up for it though.

[five0xpres.livejournal.com]

Trillian Pro on XP with a small skin: 5K of memory
Windows Messenger: 9K
Yahoo Messenger: 9K
AIM: 13K

I don't have ICQ installed nor do I use IRC, so I don't know how much memory they take. I also have a few plugin installed for Trillian Pro. I really like the World Clock feature, helps with the timezone conversions. I also have the WinAmp control installed and the Accu-weather one too. Meta contacts and containers totally rock, as well as the ability to change the contacts display name. The only thing I've found to be annoying is that you can't send files under the Yahoo protocol. Plus it's attempt at using the webcam is laughable compared to the actual Y! software.

But it does look like they have abandoned the project. I've been waiting for the webcam fix for sometime. But to each their own.

[visualeffect.livejournal.com]

I was about to post a followup and saw your reply. My Trillian takes up 3.4, with a few plugins. Not bad at all...less than many of Windows' services. *shrug*

I like it Brodie!!!! So there! :p

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

You do know it's easy to use memory in other places than the main application's thread right? It's a very common tactic and Trillian uses it lots. PS: With deadaim my AIM.exe is using 3-8kb when active.

[five0xpres.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know. And thanks to Norton's Process Viewer, I can see every thread, process, memory address and modules in use by the Trillian program. It's still using less memory than having the other four chat programs I use open and taking up space in the taskbar. Some people on my list only use AIM, some only MSN, still others prefer Yahoo. It's nice to be able to chat via one chat window, that looks the same, no matter what medium I'm using.

I'm not trying to convert you back to it or anything, just stating that for me, it works as advertised, but with some quirks...like almost any piece of software. The skin I'm using is purely function for what I need. No flashy graphics, no big icons. Smallish text, a very clean look. Just use what works for you, as will I. :)

[danlmarmot.livejournal.com]

AIM 4.3 takes up much less than the current AIM 5.0 programs--generally around 3 to 4 MB (and you do mean MB, and not KB, right?) You can still download it from AOL.

AIM 5.0 eventually makes its way up to 20MB or so--and won't release it.

One very big caveat about memory use: apps on Windows and classic MacOS (don't know about OS X) generally don't have to release memory when they're done with it. They mark it as releaseable, but keep it around in case they need it later: it's faster to use memory already allocated than wait for the system to give you more.

There are various utilities that'll compact the heap and tell all apps and services to give up all their memory, if you're comparing memory footprints you'll want to use one of those before making claims about how much memory something uses.

- Dan (with my QA hat on)

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

(and you do mean MB, and not KB, right

Yeah, I typo'ed but didn't want to delete my comment.

What does the QA hat look like anyhow? I imagine a beanie personally.

[etherlad.livejournal.com]

Ironic, considering you introduced me to Trillian in the first place. ;)

I like Pro. Really. It's got all the features I want, and honestly doesn't take up that much memory (at least not on any machine I've run it on thus far).

I'm not a big fan of skins either - the default provided with Trillian does it for me. Although there are some others I've contemplated getting - notably some of the skins with smaller icons, and such, so they take up less window space while content takes precedence.

For those keeping track, I've got the standard plugins: Clipboard, My Stuff, News, Winamp 2.X, Weather, plus a few third-party plugins, like "Do Me" ("to do" task manager), Timer Updater (updates system clock whenever Trillian is opened), and E-Mail (not the included POP3 plugin, this one's way more flexible).

[five0xpres.livejournal.com]

One of the smaller skins (and the one I use):


It also comes in Pro and Regular versions and has color themes you can choose from using the standalone configuration program that comes with it. I use the Brushed Metal theme of Microscopic.

[hylandr.livejournal.com]

FYI, they are charging for DeadAIM now...

*evil grins*

[mrpibearian.livejournal.com]

I just KaZaA'd it :D

Re: *evil grins*

[hylandr.livejournal.com]

I just did some searching online and eventually found a place to DL it without a charge.

hello

[jcaran.livejournal.com]

Hi Brodie
Just a quick hello...not really commenting on your comments..just wanted to let you know that i am on here...thanks to you..a lot to get used to.....stay in touch...
John